The basic premise for the GLITEMA EMMC is the understanding that medieval culture, in order to be fully comprehended, must be analysed from within its wider European context: in particular, the traditional “national philological approach”, which has informed Medieval erman Studies since their inception during the 19th century, does not allow students to understand the full extent to which today’s national cultures in Europe have their roots in a common – medieval – past. Thus, this EMMC aims to emphasize the pre-national nature of Medieval German Studies and analyse them from within their European context; to this end, the potentialities of trans-national student and staff mobility within the EU will be used to underpin the European approach to the subject.

The course will be taught by staff from the three full partner Universities, assisted by specialists from the associated partner HEIs and by visiting scholars from third countries. The GLITEMA EMMC will deliver double degrees at any two of the three full partner universities through six different course trajectories: these trajectories have been designed to take into account the different academic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds of students from diverse EU and third country backgrounds. Students will thus be offered a relevant set of learning outcomes, appropriate subject-related academic skills and intercultural and linguistic competences.

All trajectories foresee mandatory mobility periods at all the full partner universities with 85 ECTS being awarded at the HEI where the student starts the degree and presents the dissertation (and which is one of the partners to award the Double Degree), 30 ECTS at the second degree-awarding institution and 5 ECTS at the third partner university.

The course trajectories consist of the following elements: a) Introductory / Consolidation Modules (designed to take into account that students enrolled on the GLITEMA EMMC have, at the outset, very different knowledge / skills / competences in the subject area) will be held during the first semester at each of the full partner HEIs; b) Core Modules (Intensive Course, at the end of the first semester; Hub Programme, during the whole of the second semester; Block Seminar, at the beginning of the third semester) will bring all students and staff together, each part being held at one of the three locations; c) Optional / Research Modules and d) Dissertation (on offer at all partner sites), and e) a Work Placement (available only in Bremen).

Since the majority of modules will be taught in German, a good working knowledge of the language (level B2 in Palermo and Porto; level C1 in Bremen) is a pre-requirement; tuition in this language will be offered in Palermo and Porto, while students are also expected to gain linguistic skills in Italian and/or Portuguese through intensive language training programmes. A maximum of thirty students will be selected for the GLITEMA programme; only those candidates who have obtained a good / very good first cycle degree in a relevant area of studies will beeligible for selection.